Thalassophile // JJ Maybank

Chapter 42

"What now?" JJ asks as we stand on the HMS Pogue. We had pulled the small boat up next to My Druthers behind the Cameron's house. "We just walk up to the front door and ask, 'Hey, have you seen John B?'"

"Look, he lives at Tannyhill now. It's plausible. Look, we can play dumb."

"Play dumb?" JJ questions.

"They're obviously not that stupid." I state.

"It's pretty late." Pope speaks up.

"Look, I've never seen John B like that. We should honestly be going to the cops." Kiara says.

"Ki— what the hell are you talking about?" I demand.

"What would we even say, Kie?" JJ adds. "We're worried about our friend because he's on a rampage, because Ward killed Big John? Like, they're not gonna believe us."

"Hey, I see Ward." Pope announces. He looks into the Cameron's back window with binoculars held up to his eyes.

"Let me see." Kiara snatches the binoculars out of the boy's hands.

"Doesn't look dead to me. Let's go home." Pope says.

"Wait." JJ speaks up.

"What?" Kie demands.

"Uh.. okay. Obviously, Mr. Cameron is fine, and even if John B was here, he isn't now, okay? Plus I have the biggest, most important moment of my life in six hours." Pope exasperates.

"Yeah, well, our friend is in trouble."

"I'm in trouble. Guys, I haven't been home in three days. My dads probably put all my shit on the street by now."

"Okay, so that's it?" Kiara snaps. "In a time of need you're just gonna bail? You're just gonna walk away?"

"Yo, guys, can we not do this right now?" JJ stresses, lifting his hat off his head. I look over at him, my brows drawn together in worry.

"Hey, I have a scholarship interview in the morning. I can't—"

"Well, what about John B?"

"Oh, can it, Kiara!" I snap. "It isn't always about John B, okay? We have other lives outside of this shit!"

JJ sighs, putting his head in his hand.

"It isn't always about John B." Kiara defends. "You're so stupid. It would be any of you in this situation."

"Oh, bullshit!" Pope speaks up.

"Guys—" JJ tries.

"This is about friendship!" Kiara yells.

"Bring it down." JJ warns.

"Look, this is about Pogues for life!" Kiara sobs, starting to cry.

"What about forensic pathology, huh?" Pope demands.

"Forensic pathology?"

"It's my life. Everything I've worked for!"

"That's your priority?"

"Kiara that's enough!" I cut her off. "This is his future!" I bring my voice down, considering JJ's warning. "This is the rest of his life. There's more to this life than the Pogues. Than John B. We can't keep running to the ends of the earth for him. We have to think about ourselves."

"You're just saying that because all you think about is JJ." Kiara snaps at me.

"Kie—" JJ starts.

"I'm here, aren't I?" I say. "I came here so that we could find John B and he's not here."

"Exactly. You came here because JJ did! You follow him around like a lost little puppy dog."

"He was the first person to welcome me here! The first person to make me feel wanted, okay?"

"He wanted to get in your pants!" Kiara snaps at me. It felt like I had been slapped across the face. "Do you even know how many people he's slept with? You're just another girl to him."

"Kie! Leave her alone, all right?" JJ cuts her off.

I could feel tears burning in my eyes. I didn't know if what she was saying was true, but the thought of it broke my heart. I blink them away furiously. I would deal with this all later.

JJ tries to reach out to me but I step away. I didn't know what to do with myself right now. I move away from Kiara and JJ and step behind Pope.

"I'm telling her the truth!"

"Oh stop with the moral high ground bullshit!" Pope snaps.

"Pope, come on." JJ speaks up.

"No!" Pope growls.

"Excuse me?" Kiara demands.

"No, no, no. She has no room to talk. Where were you when Big John went missing? You weren't there. You weren't there for John B. You weren't there for any of us. You've never been there for Franklin. You've done nothing but harass her ever since she got here. Remember your Kook year?"

My mouth drops open in shock. "What?"

All this time she had been harassing me about being a Kook when all this time she was the same. I felt like I was gonna throw up. My hands shook violently, but I crossed my arms a crossed my chest, hiding it.

"Yeah. You forgot about us." Pope continues. "Now you feel guilty."

"Give me a break!" Kiara snaps.

"Come on!"

"You need a break? Move!"

The two Pogues start fighting physically. Kiara starts hitting against Pope's chest as she pushes him a step back.

"Hey!" JJ jumps up from where he was seated. "Yo, yo, cut it out, all right?" He pulls the two Pogues apart. "If I'm the one mediating, we've hit rock bottom." Pope stares at the blond with a blank expression. "Bow, now! Go! Pope, I'll drop you off."